The EffectThis is a way to make any message appear written on the edge of the cards. It could be a card revelation, but it doesn't have to be.

You can either drop the deck onto the table or the spectator's hands, or your shake the deck and the words appears.

I wanted to get it because I've seen Paul Gertner's Unshuffled but that requires the correct faro shuffles, so this is a much easier method. Creating a personalised message for an event / promotion etc... is a major advantage to this type of routine. That's why I got it.Unshuffled is mentioned in the credits.

Included is the gimmick and the DVD.

CostI paid £17 from magicianfx.co.uk and I got free postage as I spent over £40 in total and a free DVD.Other places are selling it for £24 + P+P. That's expensive! I'll explain why in a minute.

2 or 3You need to handle the gimmick correctly and you probably want to do a better card force than the one shown on the DVD.

ReviewI like the effect and I like the method. It's simple to do, easy to repeat and I think it will get a good reaction. This is a trick that I can see myself performing.It's definitely a working routine if you have space for a new trick in your repertoire. You do have to bring the gimmick in and out though if you are going to be performing another card trick before or after.

Tip - I saw a friend of mine performed this for me before I got it and he only showed one side of the deck! That made me think that the writing was on the other side, even though I didn't clearly see him turn the deck round. You can turn the deck around and show all sides. You should!

Here's what I really don't like. The DVD is 13 minutes long and about half of that is the introduction / performance / and then teaching a swing cut!OK, I understand that people want to see the trick performed and that beginners might want to learn a simple control / force, but the DVD is just completely useless.

There's also the 'crafty bit' where they tell you how to stick two cards together with tape. It's so bleeding obvious, I didn't need someone to show me! Not that you can easily make the gimmick yourself anyway.

I would have much preferred if they had posted the performance video online (for free) and then sold the gimmick alongside a one page printed instruction sheet (that's all it takes to explain it - it's that simple). The cost would have been reduced massively and they could have sold it for £5 and still made a profit.Why does everything have to be on DVD - it's a waste of money, it's a waste of resources and it's a waste of the space in my house.

People should learn to read and then this could have been in a book with twenty more great ideas.

Here's another important consideration. If you're going to use this a lot, you will want to buy a refill at some point. Three refills are $60 / £35 - That's expensive for what it is, and considering that you have already presumably "paid for the secret." I also worry that if you love this trick and want to do it for many years to come, how long before they stop making the gimmicks! You really do want to learn magic with props you can get consistently.

OverallI like the trick, but I'm annoyed at the commercialisation of it.6 / 10

I've got this. It's in the drawer. I'm not saying its a bad effect. Just use's a deck every time you want to perform.For me it's obviously a closer.I heard an idea somewhere (think it was on WPR) a while back where if performing at weddings you could use the deck for other effects all night, get specs to write little messages for the Bride / Groom on the cards as you're performing. Keep the signed cards. Use this deck to perform Unwritten at the end as a closer for the happy couple but have your name or number (or both) appear on the deck as a memento. A little clean up and they can keep the deck.As people would have written comments on the cards all evening, it would be a nice souvenir for the married couple to keep. and every time they see the deck afterwards they remember the magician that performed for them! I thought this was a good presentational idea.